As Oakland County officials await the extradition of a man they've dubbed the "funeral bandit" from Colorado -- days after he was caught -- a shocking revelation has been uncovered about the man: He was as cunning as he was brazen.

Todd Lloyd Griffin, 44, has a rap sheet. Investigators are sure of that.

What is surprising is that Griffin -- the sole suspect in now more than 18 home invasions in Southeast Oakland County, involving at least five counties -- has two felony convictions from 2008 in which he posed as a pop machine vendor and a janitor.

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"He was the kind of criminal they make movies about," said Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh of the 44-year-old. "He really has the mindset of a guy that knows how to steal."

A 2007 incident that involved a man named Todd Lloyd Griffin has been uncovered. It gives a glimpse into his history as a career criminal.

According to Narsh, who remembered the incident well, Griffin had stolen Pepsi and Coca-Cola uniforms, keys and tools and was posing as a pop machine distributor while stealing money out of several Kroger store vending machines.

These events, which all happened before he was caught, were the beginning of a string of crimes that were so carefully plotted they allowed Griffin to slip under the radar of law enforcement.

"He was able to commit crimes for a considerable amount of time by appearing legitimate," said Narsh.

His single mistake in the Lake Orion case happened the day after Christmas. He brought 851 one-dollar bills to the TCF Bank at 471 S. Broadway, and tried to consolidate the bills at the register, said Narsh, just before closing time.

When tellers refused, he became irate and his demeanor changed from polite to aggressive. He was asked to leave the building, but hung around the parking lot. That's when police were called, Narsh said.

What they found inside Griffin's 1998 maroon Ford Taurus was puzzling. They found a number of coin operated machines consistent with vending machines, several burglary tools, "barrel keys" used to open vending machines, and Coca-Cola and Pepsi vendor uniforms inside. Later, police found cocaine and Vicodin on the man.

Further investigation revealed that Griffin had followed soda distributors and stole the uniforms and keys from their trucks.

After that, "he would walk into stores ... in Toledo and Glendale, Ohio ... and steal the money boxes from the machines."

His wife had told investigators that she didn't know anything about the incidents.

"We never found out where he got the uniforms, but we knew they were legitimate ... he was dressed like the pop guy, talked like the pop guy and acted like the pop guy," said Narsh. "We suspected he'd hit stores around Oakland County, but many of those don't get reported because he would only take a bit at a time."

Narsh later found out that employees at the TCF Bank had recognized Griffin, and said that he'd come in to cash several dollar bills in the past.

He was released on bond during the investigation in Lake Orion, and continued his chameleon-like method of operations.

He was caught by Oakland County Sheriff's deputies for stealing laptops, speakers, camcorders and more from Clarkston Community Schools, including Clarkston High School. In these, he had a different rouse: He posed as a janitor, and was able to walk out, undetected, on several occasions.

He served time for the felonies out of Lake Orion and Clarkston, convicted of larceny in a building, breaking and entering a coin operated device and larceny over $1,000.

Narsh remembers Griffin. He said the 44-year-old came from Lake Orion, and went to Lake Orion High School.

A classmate, who prefers to remain anonymous, said Griffin was a troubled student who "ran with the rough crowd."

He was convicted in Oakland County Circuit court as early as 1996 for one of the same offenses -- breaking and entering a coin operated device -- out of Waterford Township.

"This guy looks like he applied the same tenacity to the funeral larcenies he's accused of as he did with the vending machine crimes," said Narsh. "If he had applied himself as much in another trade, he probably would've done well for himself."

Griffin, who had apparently made burglary his profession, was not employed, said Sheriff Michael Bouchard during a Monday press conference. He wasn't employed in Lake Orion in 2007, either, said Narsh.

The man's home in Pontiac was found full of stolen items when the Oakland County Sheriff's Fugitive Apprehension Team attempted to serve him a warrant for an unrelated probation violation. Authorities in Colorado caught up to Griffin Monday afternoon and took him into custody at a pawn shop. His wife said she was thought he was picking up items at estate sales.

Officials said Griffin would pick up a paper to see where funerals or estate sales were being held, then rob families' homes while they were at services, earning him a title of a so-called "funeral bandit."

In total, the items seized from the 18 homes amounts to more than $50,000.

In Oakland County, Griffin is suspected of home invasions in Addison, Brandon and Independence townships. He's also wanted in Alabama for a similar incident, said Bouchard.

Lt. Dale Miller, of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Apprehension Team, said law enforcement is hoping to extradite Griffin from Lakewood, Colo. as quickly as possible. He said it seems someone calls in another home invasion they think is related to the 'funeral bandit' case every hour.

"Victims continue to come down and identify items stolen from their homes," he said. He anticipates a multitude of charges to be brought upon Griffin upon his return to Michigan.